5 most-expensive House races

Super PACs and other outside groups are plowing millions of dollars into a handful of too-close-to-call House races whose outcomes will go a long way toward determining the balance of power in Congress.

One is in northeast Ohio, where two incumbents find themselves in a brawl. Another is in Minnesota’s Iron Range, where a Republican freshman is fighting to win a second term. Another is in southeast North Carolina, where a conservative Democrat is under a GOP-led assault.

Text Size

-

+

reset

Each of the races are among the most competitive in the country. In some cases, investments are soaring because the races are taking place in high-cost media markets. In other cases, the races are taking place in areas where labor groups have a strong presence.

The numbers are bound to change before Nov. 6 — outside groups have yet to heavily invest in some of the nation’s most expensive media markets, such as Chicago and Boston.

Here’s POLITICO’s look at the top five most expensive House races — based on outside group and national party committee spending — through the end of September.

1. Ohio’s 16th District: $4.2 million

Why has the race for this seat in northeast Ohio, where 10 groups have poured in more than $4.2 million, emerged as the most expensive?

First, the high-profile clash between Democratic Rep. Betty Sutton and GOP Rep. Jim Renacci is among the most competitive in the country — attracting outside players from both parties that want to push either incumbent over the top. It’s also taking place in a Cleveland media market that is expensive but not prohibitively so — meaning that it will cost a lot for groups to invest here but not so much that they won’t do it.

Sutton, known as an ally of northeast Ohio’s labor set, is getting support from a trifecta of union groups — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the United Steelworkers and the Service Employees International Union. The three have combined to spend nearly $1.4 million, making up more than half of Democratic spending in the race.

The biggest Republican player: Congressional Leadership Fund — a super PAC tied to a top Renacci ally, House Speaker John Boehner — which has spent around $1 million.

While the seat was crafted in redistricting to favor Renacci, it’s Democrats who hold the spending trump card here. Democratic groups are outspending their Republican rivals on the airwaves nearly $2.7 million to $1.5 million. Sutton is getting much of her support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC.

Renacci’s 2010 race was among the most costly in the nation. Now, the freshman finds himself in another big spending battle.

2. California’s 7th District: $3.9 million

If you’re living anywhere near Sacramento, chances are your TV sets are clogged with political ads. The area is home to three congressional races, and voters there are subject to a raft of commercials for initiatives that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The intense competition for commercial time has made airing TV ads in the already-expensive Sacramento media market — and particularly in the race between GOP Rep. Dan Lungren and Democrat Ami Bera — a pricey proposition. The contest, which is among the most hard fought in the nation, has attracted a dozen outside groups that have poured in just short of $4 million.

Readers' Comments (3)

DUOPOLY AND CORPORATIONS ARE THE BIG WINNERS IN THIS disgusting flood of money making corporation tv, print and radio flush with cash.... imagine if labor spread out more evenly money in SC # 1 a few hundred thousand for Bobbie Rose to defeat extremist frosh Rethuglican Tim Scott ? iNSTEAD these top 5 House seats only serve to eke out congressional committee fiefdoms NO NET CHANGE for working families or curbing corporations bribing incumbents 843-926-1750 www.hireLarryFireBobby.com ousting the nations most corrupt of all 49 state houses Speaker Bobby Harrell @VoteLarryDis114 @Greens926_1750 call 843-926-1750 Larry

Speaker Bobby Harrell flush with 6 million from Adelson gave FtWorthless Newt Gingrich the January S Carolina Rethuglican primary victory over 41% in crowded field over 5 candidates active.... Bobby Harrell has been stealing campaign slush funds in his 3 PAC's he controls and bought a million dollar luxury airplane 4 seater he flies to Columbia from Charleston and about the US airways billing 900 BUCK$ a trip for a 200 dollar max fuel and landing fees 'RECEIPT' he refuses to LEGALLY PROVIDE TO THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION meaning he's paying off the plane financing as a sub-contractor to his Palmetto Leadership PAC, personal campaign account and functional head of the S Carolina Rethuglican Party/Chamber of Commerce..... he like Nimrata Haley faces expulsion from their jobs by their own party for extremism and personal corruption.... www.hireLarryFireBobby.com and I support Dr Jill Stein in the real debates tonight from Denver ALL 4 PRESIDENTIAL MATCHING FUNDS CANDIDATES WILL BE SEEN LIVE ON DEMOCRACY NOW OR FREESPEECH TV CABLECASTS, SATELLITE OR WEBSITES AS YOU CHOOSE to hear the 1st two answers from Mittless & Obusha live THE REST TAPE DELAYED MAKING TIME FOR GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON & @JillStein2012 to have equal LIVE TIME... 843-926-1750 UNIONS SAVE LIVES Rethuglicans killed 9 firefighters without UNION SAFE EQUIPMENT AND UNION SAVE WORK CONTRACTS still illegal in S Carolina for all but federal unions here

What about the House race in the California 30th in which incumbent representatives Howard Berman and Brad Sherman, both Democrats, advanced from the primary and are now, because of redistricting, facing each other in the general election. Both have raised--and spent a lot of money. This race in the Los Angeles market would seem to be the most expensive in the country.